The Montreal Canadiens’ Brendan Gallagher confirmed Monday that he will be leaving the team.
The Habs lost in the Eastern Conference Final to the Carolina Hurricanes 1-4 in the best-of-seven series.
Monday, as the team cleared out their locker room, the right-winger got emotional as he talked about his time in the city.
The 34-year-old said he was “thankful and fortunate” to have spent 14 years in Montreal, adding that the fans embracing him fully made him want to give it his all on the ice each night.
“It’s been truly a privilege to play in front of them. It’s not an opportunity a lot of players get,” he said, adding that he’s grateful to have been able to call the Bell Centre his home for so long.
“I don’t have a single regret. It’s pretty clear I’ll be moving on here,” he said. “It’s incredibly -”
He stopped to take a few breaths before laughing and apologizing for his emotions.
“I’m just very fortunate,” he continued, before taking another pause.
“I just had a thought about my mom, and I was just thinking about how my teammates supported me through that. Oh God, sorry. I still get emotional talking about her, but that’s something that will always stick with me.”
He apologized again before asking for a moment and walking away.
Gallagher’s mother, Della Gallagher, died last year after battling cancer.
Upon returning to the press, Gallagher emphasized that he does not plan to retire, insisting that he isn’t quite “done” with the game just yet.
“There’s more in the tank, obviously,” he said. “I would love for it to be here, but I guess my time has come, and they’ve moved on, and for me, as a player, I’m looking forward to getting back to what I do.”
He said he’s now looking for “a new home.”
“I would love to stay here,” he said. “I would love to be part of this group, but for me, you have to give yourself opportunities as a player to contribute.”
Gallagher was selected in the fifth round, 147th overall, by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2010 NHL entry draft.
